Summer Fun for Kids: DIY Pool Noodle Sailboats!

For our family, summer = lake. We live near Lake Michigan (which is amazing) and we vacation every year with my family at a small lake in northern Wisconsin. When I was packing up our swim toys, I had a great idea: this year we would make pool noodle sailboats! Simple, inexpensive, and hours of fun. You could do this at a lake, river, or even in your own backyard pool or tub!

All you need:

• pool noodle (if you have one that is ripped or broken, this is a perfect use for it!)
• small stick or dowel
• piece of paper

1. Cut off a small section of the pool noodle.

2. Cut the pool noodle section lengthwise. You can cut it exactly in half if you want, but we found the boats to float a little better if you cut them a little more than halfway.

3. Fold your paper in half and make two small holes to poke the stick through.

4. Poke the stick into the center of the boat (we found it floated better when in the center vs. on one end of the boat). 

You should also trim the sail to be about the width of the boat. If your sail is too wide, the boat will tip over. Ask me how I know… ;)

Then set your boat in the water and watch it sail the open seas!

My boys have been loving these boats! They’ve had such a great time testing them out in different conditions, with different sails, and a variety of “passengers!”

Rock passengers were the biggest hit, and also helped to balance the boat if there were any waves.

There’s so many things you can do with these boats, from races to experiments (how many rocks before the boat sinks? how tall is too tall for a sail?).

We discovered that the boats are also super fun to float with the noodle turned the other direction! If it’s super windy, this will also help your boat stay upright.

Keeping childhood simple and fun! That’s how we like it. :) Happy sailing!

 

The Summer Fun series is going on at Nap-time Creations, and there are some fantastic ideas for you and the littles to enjoy!

Check out today’s posts in the summer fun series:

Frozen Pineapple at Nap-Time Creations

Orange Frozen Treat at Frances Suzanne

Ways to Play in the Sandbox by Messes to Memories

Pool Noodle Boats by If Only They Would Nap